Tigers Crush Bemidji St. In Exhibition Opener

In 2004-2005, one of the criticisms of the Missouri men’s basketball team was questionable shot selection, especially from beyond the three-point line. Last season the Tigers shot 30.6 percent from the arc, but on Wednesday they hit 7-of-12 three-pointers en route to a 105-56 win over Division-II Bemidji St. in their exhibition opener at Mizzou Arena.

The first half of the game took well over an hour as the two teams combined for 38 free throws over the first 20 minutes. Mizzou was 17-of-25 in the half and 28-of-38 for the game from the charity stripe.

Junior guard Thomas Gardner was one of six Tigers in double-digit scoring with 22 points. He was 8-of-14 from the field and hit two-of-four three-pointers. Marshall Brown had 14, Jimmy McKinney and Marcus Watkins had 13 apiece, Jason Horton had 11 and freshman Leo Lyons (who changed his last name from Criswell) had 10. Lyons also added six rebounds, two assists, two blocks and two steals. Horton dished out seven assists and had four turnovers.

After the game head coach Quin Snyder expressed concern with MU’s rebounding after pulling down 39 boards to BSU’s 38.

The Tigers finished the game hitting 63.6 percent from the field. MU improved to 13-0 in exhibition games under Quin Snyder. They’ll face Missouri Southern on Monday, then open the season on November 14 against Sam Houston St. in the pre-season NIT.

Part of Missouri’s punishment by the NCAA last year for recruiting violations included a ban on off-campus recruiting. That ban ended last night at midnight.